Day 7 of My Lenten Journey

7. Comparison

Guilty as charged.  I do tend to compare myself or judge myself in one way or another on a daily basis.  I shouldn't.  Whether it is Pinterest or Facebook or how I look or my weight, I compare myself to others.  God doesn't compare us on the surface level.  He made each one of us unique and different in our own ways and knows us so deeply.

"And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."  Matthew 10:30-31

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I know that full well."  Psalm 139"13-14

When it comes to serving God, the only one who gets to judge us and compare us is God, himself.  I love how The Message version of the Bible puts this in 1 Corinthians 4:1-4

"Don't imagine us leaders to be something we aren't.  We are servants of Christ, not his masters.  We are guides into God's most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them.  The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge.  It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion.  I don't even rank myself.  Comparisons in these matters are pointless.  I'm not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you, but that doesn't mean much.  The Master makes that judgement."

So the challenge is to throw off the coat of comparison and just serve Christ.  Don't worry what others think.  Care about what God thinks.

"Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.  Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else."
Galatians 6:2-4